


more than you see

by navaan



Category: Iron Man (Comic), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Backstory, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Flirting, Identity Porn, Introspection, Iron Man Vol. 3 (1998), POV Female Character, Romance, Secret Identity, possible canon divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-16 02:15:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7248064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumiko knows who she is and she knows what she want out of life. That's not always as easy as it sounds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	more than you see

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meatball42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meatball42/gifts).



> You can also read this story and comment on it on Livejournal [here](http://navaan.livejournal.com/289312.html). Feel free to friend or contact me there.

She's old enough to know she's the black sheep in this family. Not exactly like cousin Kaneyuki, but still. Much of her behavior is only tolerated, because she's a girl and despite her education and skill, her family has made it clear she's not meant to actually _work_. It's enough for her to be beautiful and rich and well mannered. She's supposed to finally grow up and be the good little wife to someone who is worthy to take the firm.

The firm that is now Stark Fujikawa.

“You shouldn't dress like a university student, when you're home,” her mother says and frowns when she sees her short leather skirt and the colorful, slightly too wide and asymmetrical t-shirt.

“I just keep up with fashion trends.”

“When you get drunk in Shibuya?” her father says reprovingly. He's wearing

She can't remember having been in Shibuya for anything more than shopping in a week, but she's been clubbing and that's what he's getting at. It's not the clubbing that annoys him.

“Yes, father,” she says in her best high girly voice and by the narrowing of her father's eyes she knows the insincerity of the friendly tone and the bubbly, innocent ignorance doesn't pass him by. They are not truly angry about her having cocktails with friends or strangers and they are also not really angry for her exploring what she likes in men. Japanese parents are pragmatic. Marriage isn't about love or keeping yourself pure for the one true love. It's about security and stability. That's why they need Rumiko on her best behavior.

For a woman in Rumiko's position it's something else though, too. What she wants is to take her place, to live her life, to not let herself be pushed into the life of a rich, bored Japanese wife. She knows she can be better than that. Whatever her parents see when they look at her, she's very much their daughter. She is the granddaughter of Fujikawa Kenjiro. She doesn't need a nice, handpicked husband to run the company. She's better for it than anyone they can introduce her too. She's cut from the same kind of steel as her grandfather. And if her bubbly, carefree ways are the only way to make her freedom be tolerated, then she's not yet ready to grow up.

“Rumiko,” he mother says in that universal chiding tone all mothers use to get their kids to fall in line.

She shrugs and smiles. She specifically bought the slightly too bright violet lipstick for an occasion like this. “You didn't call me in to talk to me about parties?”

“Rumiko,” her mother repeats in the exact same tone as before.

And that's how Rumiko knows it's coming. She pushes a stack of dark folders towards her across the desk. She knows these are the details of suitable young men, who her grandfather has handpicked. She's supposed to meet with one of them. It's time to get married and apparently her family thinks all it takes to get her back in line is for her to meet the right Japanese husband.

She doesn't roll her eyes, because, well, despite everything this is her family. She laughs and it's a wonderful sound, like a clear, chiming bell. It means all she is to her that she can laugh like this.

Her father frowns. 

But they are not yet ready to argue with her about this.

Because Rumiko is out of line sometimes, but she's also useful and she plays that part whenever her grandfather calls on her. She understands honor and legacy, she understands loyalty and responsibility even if she doesn't life by it every single day.

All she wants is for them to recognize that she's the heir who can stand on her own two feet, understand that she knows exactly how important it is to let go of control sometimes to be happy. It's not exactly the Japanese way, but they should have thought of that when they sent her abroad for a while.

She knows more about electronics than most of these men they are trying to shove at her. She knows more about business. She certainly knows more about responsibility, understands that sometimes you have to take it, but that to live your life you have to also make sure you don't let others set the bars for you. They want her to be a good little Japanese housewife. 

She wants to be happy.

Her serene smile is all it take for her to win this fight today.

* * *

Tony Stark's return is all over the news when she's in London. It spells trouble for Stark Fujikawa and she even calls home to make sure that things aren't falling apart. The firm has spent a lot of money to pick up what had been left of Stark International and her grandfather will not give up what he owns now without a fight.

It's not the first time she sees Tony Stark on screen. He's a handsome man. She can't feel any resentment for him. It's not his fault that after all the trouble the world has seen come and go, he's apparently alive and well and not dead at all.

She forgets all about him when she goes out in her favorite red dress and finds some nice company for the night.

* * *

She's both surprised and inwardly pleased when her grandfather asks her along to the Isla Fuerte. She has an idea what game it is her old grandfather is playing. He wants to corner Stark and smooth over the rough waters, before the brilliant inventor and famous American socialite decides to attack. Because despite Stark having agreed to the deal with her grandfather and announcing his own new venture named Stark Solutions, Fujikawa Kenjro is no fool. He wants to make sure that Stark won't make trouble whenever he changes his mind on a whim.

Americans. Kenjiro doesn't trust them to be more than spoiled children.

And that's where beautiful little granddaughters come in.

After all Tony Stark has a reputation.

She's meant to be eye candy, to be a distraction.

Nobody _says_ it, but she agrees anyway.

She'd like to meet a business man who runs with superheroes. 

After all he looks cute on TV, Isla Fuerte has amazing beaches – and it might drive her parents to tears to learn, she did more than just distract Stark.

* * *

The Tony Stark she meets on the island, surprises her. He's cuter than he is on TV. He treats her with both caution and an openness that isn't practiced, but natural. They match each other in that. He walks beside her on the beach, barefoot and still dressed in his suit. It's spontaneous and likable and she has just rescued him from a woman he obviously wanted to avoid, but he's not making more than conversation.

She still has her silly, but beloved Totoro purse at her side, that she picked especially to annoy her grandfather. He hasn't commented on it, but there are these little crinkles around his eyes when he looks at it and smiles.

It's really endearing.

Then all hell breaks loose and suddenly they both know what they're made of.

He looks at her with respect.

She's impressed until he hides behind his metal bodyguard. There is a nice ring to Stark Fujikawa, but she's not sure she like the name Iron Man all that much.

* * *

Tony seems like someone who knows all about living the good life. And then you get close and realize he has no idea how to let go. He's someone who has been burned. But when he looks at her, he looks at _her_ and somehow that seems more important.

“Why do you have a bodyguard, when you get hurt every time someone has a grudge against you _or_ him?” She dabs a bit of her own makeup on a sponge to help him cover up the bruise on his cheek.

“He can't be everywhere.” Tony looks sad about it and then turns his eyes up at her with that sad puppy look in his eyes that she's seen a few times already. 

“He shouldn't be everywhere. I don't get it. Either he whisks you away and keeps you so safe that you can't be the man I know you are – or he isn't anywhere to be found when you need him.”

There is a secret there and she hates that Tony doesn't trust her enough to share it. 

He needs to learn to let go a bit if he wants her in his life. Because Ru has no time for nonsense like waiting.

* * *

“Listen,” she tells Iron Man, next time he's towering above her. “I don't know who you think you are, but Tony is twice the man anyway. He thinks he needs you, but he doesn't.”

Iron Man cocks his head as if he has to think that over. “I'll let him know you said that, Ms. Fujikawa.”

“Don't bother,” she says and sticks out her tongue. “I'll tell him myself.”

“I hope we can be friends,” the man in the armor tells her, before he flies away. 

Rumiko is not impressed. 

She thinks she's in love. Her family is not comfortable with her being publicly involved with Tony Stark, but she tells them she isn't tied down yet – and she isn't. Ru can live with contradictions and complications. She can even live with responsibility. Now she needs to make Tony see that he needs to share some of his burdens, if he ever wants to be happy. 

“Hi, Ru,” he says and his eyes are twinkling actually. “There's something I need to tell you.”

Lit candles shine on an expertly set table.

“Is it about Iron Man?”

He grins at her lopsidedly. “You could say that.” He shrugs, but looks at her with that same level of surprised respect she's once seen on a tropical island.

She finally sits down, watching the way his muscles tense and relax. This is where he needs to learn to give up control.

“Spill,” she says and takes a sip of her apple cider.

He smiles and starts talking.


End file.
